The USA Pro Cycling Challenge's proposed finish at the summit of Flagstaff Mountain got a green light Tuesday night as the Boulder City Council adopted an emergency ordinance giving the city manager authority to issue permits for the race.

However, the council members said future race permits should come to the City Council for approval.

Some Boulder residents, led by Steve Pomerance, a former city councilman and Camera columnist, had raised questions about whether city ordinances and the charter would allow the race to go all the way to the top of Flagstaff. They suggested the race end at Realization Point to keep it on a county road.

City Attorney Tom Carr said the race doesn't violate the charter, which limits open space to passive recreational uses, or Boulder ordinances, which prohibit competitive events on open space.

"If driving on a road is not passive recreational use, then a road is not open space as contemplated in the charter," he said. "If council considers that road to be open space under the charter, we probably should consider banning cars, though that would be a significant change from its historic use."

Nonetheless, Carr suggested the council adopt an emergency ordinance authorizing the city manager to issue permits for the race, in part because ancillary events will take place on open space and off the road.

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The City Council voted unanimously to approve the emergency ordinance, along with an amendment that requires race organizers to submit their permit request 180 days in advance in future years and obtain City Council approval.

Barry Siff, co-chairman of the Boulder organizing committee, said the Flagstaff finish is essential to the success of the race.

"What makes the USA Pro Cycling Challenge so special is it's not just a bike race," Siff said. "It's a show. And the greatest part of that show is the Flagstaff finish. This is an enormous opportunity for an epic event in Boulder, Colorado. It would send a picture postcard to more than 200 countries about how amazing it is here."

Siff said race organizers are watching the debate closely.

"It really sends a message about the willingness of Boulder to host this incredible event," he said.

Councilwoman Lisa Morzel supported an expiration clause, but Councilwoman Suzy Ageton said that could send the wrong message to race organizers about Boulder's interest in hosting the race in the future.

"We have the ability to not have another race without the sunset clause," she said. "The signal that I hope we would send is that we're interested in this event, which really fits the character of Boulder. We don't want to send a signal that we're not interested in having another one."

Supporters of the race and the Flagstaff summit finish filled council chambers in orange T-shirts. Speaker after speaker called the Flagstaff finish "iconic" and necessary to the success of the race.

"The Flagstaff finish makes the race iconic," said Rob Linde, of the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Without it, it's just another bike race, and Boulder is just another race town. Finishing at the amphitheater is critical to the success of the race."

Opponents of the summit finish said allowing the race to go over city open space amounts to putting it up for sale.

"Please do not put a 'for sale' sign on open space because that is the thrust of the economic benefit argument," said Gwen Dooley, a longtime Boulder environmental activist. "One careless smoker could destroy everything Boulder residents have worked to preserve."

Council members said they didn't think ending the race at Realization Point would make a big difference in the impact on open space, while Siff said race organizers need the space at Sunrise Amphitheater to stage the finish.

However, council members also said open space staff members should consider whether the city should put some limit on how many people can watch the race from Flagstaff.

Some council members said they should have anticipated some controversy around the race and held hearings earlier.

"This is a new experience for us, and it was very exciting and an easy event to get excited about it," Ageton said.

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